The NC State University Doctoral BRIDGE (Bioscience Research Initiative for Doctoral Graduate Education) Program aims to increase the number of minority researchers in the biomedical and life sciences. But before the number of minority students completing PhD programs in biomedical sciences can be expected to increase, key barriers must be overcome. This program provides assistantships to underrepresented minority students in universities offering only Master or Science (MS) programs in biomedical-related sciences. BRIDGE establishes a partnership between NC State University and three historically black universities-North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and Fayetteville State University; and one traditionally American Indian university - the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. These partnerships have and will continue to grow beyond the scope of the BRIDGE program due to collaboration established between faculty at the research level. The program enhances student research and critical thinking skills, fosters social and scientific interactions and permits the successful transition of master's students in the sciences from these institutions to doctoral degree programs at NC State University. Through collaborative arrangements with the participating institutions, the program seeks to educate underrepresented minority students who will be academically competitive at NC State University and successful in careers in biomedical research. The partnership focuses attention and adequate resources on underrepresented minority graduate students during their pursuit of the MS degree. On successful completion of the program, each student is guaranteed acceptance into and support by one of the biomedical/bioscience graduate programs at NC State University. Components of BRIDGE include a faculty mentoring program, faculty research collaborations, enhanced curricula at the MS institutions, an annual symposium, scientific seminars and workshops on writing, presentations skills and other professional development topics.